Pearson admits his own failings

Jewell's named parking space has already been changed

Derby County's chairman of football Adam Pearson has admitted he made mistakes in handling the appointment of Paul Jewell as manager.

Jewell resigned from the Pride Park hot-seat after Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Ipswich Town.

Pearson told BBC Radio Derby: "I probably appointed him too early.

"When we first discussed him coming to the club, he asked if we could get through till March but I said 'no you have got to come now.'

Jewell was appointed in November 2007, but failed to win a game in the top flight as the Rams were relegated.

This season Derby have only won seven league games leaving them 18th in the Championship - although Jewell has led the Rams to the semi-final of the Carling Cup, where they will face Manchester United.

Pearson said asking Jewell to take charge during the ill-fated Premier League campaign had had a lasting effect.

"It was an incredibly difficult first season mentality and physically. It took its toll and losing the sheer amount of matches caused a problem for him and Derby," he said.

"I am sure there was a hangover going into the new season.

"We felt as though we were clearing it away and moving forward, but obviously the last six or seven weeks haven't been good enough for anybody."

Pearson also acknowledged that the club's dealings in the transfer market during the Rams' Premier League season had caused more problems.

"I think we held our hands up with the errors made in January to bring players in," he said. "We perhaps should have been braver and said this team wasn't good enough to stay up.

"Maybe then we would then have had the one raft of recruitment in the summer."